Stapler moving guide device

ABSTRACT

A stapler moving guide device is disclosed, which can move regardless of a paper conveyer so as to enable multi-stapling at the end of papers and at the same time can move to a side portion at a tilt angle. The stapler moving guide device includes a stapler frame  131  provided with a stapler moving path  133  and a horizontal moving guide  52 , a first moving plate  50  reciprocating along the horizontal moving guide, a second moving plate  51  reciprocating on the first moving plate in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal moving guide and moving in parallel with the first moving plate, and a stapler  124  fixed on the second moving plate.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a stapler moving guide device thatstaples and finishes papers ejected from an image forming apparatus suchas a printer, a copier, and a printer, and more particularly to astapler moving guide device that can move regardless of a paperconveyer, which is provided to eject papers from a stapler before andafter stapling and to move the papers to the stapler, so as to enablemulti-stapling at the end of papers and at the same time can move to aside portion at a tilt angle.

BACKGROUND ART

A general image forming apparatus having a stapler will be describedwith reference to FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus such as a copier 1includes a paper finishing apparatus 2 that finishes papers ejected fromthe image forming apparatus. The paper finishing apparatus 2 is locatedat a side of the image forming apparatus, and includes an image traymodule 15, a finisher module 20, and a paper conveyer module 40.

The image tray module 15 stacks papers finished through the copier 1onto an image tray 22. The finisher module 20 punches the finishedpapers using a punch 25 and staples the papers using a stapler 24 so asto stack the papers onto a stack tray 27. The paper conveyer module 40distributes the papers to the image tray module 15 and the finishermodule 20.

The above modules are detachably assembled into the finishing apparatus,and other modules having various functions may additionally be providedto the paper conveyer module.

An example of a related art stapler moving guide device of the stapler24 provided in the finisher module 20 is disclosed in the Korean PatentPublication No. 2000-28390. The related art stapler moving guide devicewill be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

The related art stapler moving guide device 30 positions a stapler frame31 along the stapler 24 at an opposing position adjoining the end ofpapers 3. The stapler frame 31 includes a slide groove 33 a having anextension extending in parallel with the end of the papers 3, and astapler moving path 33 having first and second tilt slide grooves 33 band 33 c extending from both ends of the slide groove 33 a to the papers3 by a predetermined distance with a tilt angle. The slide groove 33 aand the stapler moving path 33 are provided in the stapler frame to forma single body.

First and second support shafts 34 a and 34 b extended below the stapler24 are fitted into the stapler moving path 33 so that the stapler 24 isslid. A guide plate 35 fixed to the first and second support shafts 34 aand 34 b is provided below the stapler frame 31.

The guide plate 35 is fitted into a guide plate moving shaft 36 and isconfigured to move-along the moving shaft 36. The moving shaft 36 isfixed below the stapler frame 31 in parallel with the slide groove 33 a.

Belt fitting wheels 39 a and 39 b are fixed to both ends of the movingshaft 36. A driving belt 37 is fitted into the belt fitting wheels 39 aand 39 b so that it is driven in parallel with the moving shaft 36.

The driving belt 37 is driven by a motor 38 provided in the staplerframe 31, and the circumference of the driving belt 37 is fixed to abelt clamp 41 of the guide plate 35.

Once the driving belt 37 is rotated by rotation of the motor 38, theguide plate 35 connected with the driving belt 37 moves along the movingshaft 36 and the stapler 24 below which the first and second supportshafts 34 a and 34 b are fixed to the guide plate 35 moves along themoving path 33.

Meanwhile, a first cam hole 42 a and a second cam hole 42 b are formedat a portion into which the first and second support shafts 34 a and 34b are fitted. The first cam hole 42 a is to move the first support shaft34 a and the second cam hole 42 b is to move the second support shaft 34b. The first and second cam holes 42 a and 42 b have a symmetrical archshape.

The first and second cam holes 42 a and 42 b are formed to rotate thestapler 24 along the tilt slide groove at a certain angle when thestapler 24 moves to the first tilt slide groove 33 b or the second tiltslide groove 33 c.

The aforementioned related art stapler moving guide device 30 positionsthe stapler 24 in a horizontal direction at the center of the papers 3while in a tilt direction at both corners of the papers, therebyenabling tilt stapling at the corners of the papers.

However, the aforementioned related art stapler moving guide device hasseveral problems.

There is limitation in moving the paper conveyer (not shown in FIGS. 2and 3) that moves the papers 3 to staple them to the stapler frame 31where the stapler 24 is positioned.

In other words, to move the stapled papers 3 to stack them onto thestack tray 27, the paper conveyer that pushes the central end of thestapled papers 3 to move to the stack tray is required. Since such apaper conveyer is caught in the stapler if the stapler is positioned atthe center, it cannot move to the end of the papers.

For this reason, the stapler moves from the center to the side afterstapling operation and then the paper conveyer should move. In addition,since movement of the paper conveyer is determined depending on theposition of the stapler, the movement of the paper conveyer may bedelayed. Such delay of the movement of the paper conveyer reducesdriving efficiency of the stapler moving guide device.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a stapler moving guidedevice that substantially obviate one or more of the problems due tolimitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a stapler moving guidedevice that can move paper conveyer regardless of the position of astapler.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stapler movingguide device in which a stapler is provided at a side in a tiltdirection to enable tilt stapling at the end of papers.

Other object of the present invention is to provide a stapler movingguide device that improves a structure to simultaneously operate a paperconveyer and a stapler regardless of the position of the paper conveyerand the stapler, thereby improving finishing efficiency of papers.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and in part will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Theobjectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized andattained by the structure particularly pointed out in the writtendescription and claims thereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purposeof the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a staplermoving guide device according to the present invention is characterizedin that a stapler moving in parallel along the end of papers is providedin such a manner that it is retracted from the center of the papers toan opposite direction of the papers by a predetermined distance, and atthe same time the stapler is tilted with respect to the end of thepapers when it is positioned at the end of the papers.

To further achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with thepurpose of the present invention, a stapler moving guide deviceaccording to the present invention includes: a stapler frame providedwith a stapler moving path and a horizontal moving guide, the staplermoving path including a recess retracted at the center in an oppositedirection of papers and a tilt portion tilting at the end, and thehorizontal moving guide being arranged in parallel with the end of thepapers, having a tilt portion at one end to be tilted in the samedirection as that of the tilt portion of the stapler moving path; afirst moving plate reciprocating along the horizontal moving guide; asecond moving plate reciprocating on the first moving plate in adirection perpendicular to the horizontal moving guide and moving alongwith the first moving plate in a horizontal direction; and a staplerfixed onto the second moving plate, wherein an idle roller fixed to thestapler is fitted into the stapler moving path and the first and secondmoving plates move along with the stapler when the idle roller movesalong the stapler moving path.

The idle roller is provided with a pinion gear fixed thereto and thestapler moving path is provided with a rack gear which is engaged withthe pinion gear.

The pinion gear fixed to the idle roller is driven by a rotationalmeans.

The tilt portion of the stapler moving path is parallel with the tiltportion of the horizontal moving guide.

The first moving plate includes a guide roller fitted into thehorizontal moving guide and moving along the horizontal moving guide.

The first moving plate includes vertical moving guides fixed to slidethe second moving plate.

To further still achieve these and other advantages and in accordancewith the purpose of the present invention, a stapler moving guide deviceaccording to the present invention includes: a lower frame provided in amedium unit of a main body of a paper finishing apparatus; a staplerfixed onto the lower frame, for stapling a predetermined portion ofpapers while moving on the lower frame; a first support means fixedbetween the lower frame and the stapler, for supporting the stapler toenable linear reciprocation; a stapler moving motor fixed onto one sideof the first support means, for providing a moving force for linearreciprocation; a linear reciprocating means having one end connectedwith the stapler moving motor and the other end connected with the lowerframe; and a side frame fixed onto one side of the lower frame, having aslit of a predetermined length into which papers can externally beinserted and a predetermined inner space for receiving the stapler.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and areintended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a finishing module of a general image formingapparatus;

FIG. 2 illustrates one example of a related art stapler moving guidedevice;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the stapler moving guidedevice of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a stapler moving guide device accordingto the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the stapler moving guidedevice according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a stapler frame of FIG. 5viewed at another angle;

FIG. 7 is a plane view illustrating the operation of the stapler movingguide device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a stapler moving guide device accordingto the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a plane view of the stapler moving guide device of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the state where a paperfinishing apparatus having the stapler moving guide device according tothe second embodiment of the present invention is fixed to a medium unitof a main body of a copier;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a main part of the staplermoving guide device according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 12 is a state view illustrating the operation of the stapler movingguide device according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

FIRST EMBODIMENT

A stapler moving guide device according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4 to FIG. 7.

The stapler moving guide device according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention includes a stapler 124, a first moving plate 50, asecond moving plate 51, and a stapler frame 131.

The stapler 124 includes an idle roller 60. The idle roller 60 bindspapers moved from a copier with an iron core and is fixed to a piniongear 53 driven by a motor (not shown).

Vertical moving guides 55 a and 55 b are provided in the first movingplate 50 so that guides 61 a and 61 b provided below the second movingplate 51 are slid along the papers, i.e., in a vertical direction. Aslit groove 63 is provided at the center of the first moving plate 50 sothat the idle roller 60 is fitted thereinto. This allows the firstmoving plate 50 to move along with the second moving plate 51 at thetime when the second moving plate 51 slides along the vertical movingguides. A guide roller 62 is provided at the lower part of the firstmoving plate 50 and is fixed to a horizontal moving guide 52 which isprovided in the stapler frame 131.

In more detail, the guides 61 a and 61 b are provided in the secondmoving plate 51 and are fixed to the vertical moving guides 55 a and 55b of the first moving plate 50 so that they are slid in a verticaldirection along the vertical moving guides. The stapler 124 is providedin such a manner that the idle roller 60 is extended toward the guides61 a and 61 b.

A stapler moving path 133 having a recess 133 a and a tilt portion 133 bis provided in the stapler frame 131. The recess 133 a is retracted atthe center in an opposite direction of the papers while the tilt portion133 b is tilt at the end. The horizontal moving guide 52 is arranged inparallel with the end of the papers and has a tilt portion 52 a at oneend. The tilt portion 52 a is tilt in the same direction as that of thetilt portion 133 b of the stapler moving path 133.

The stapler moving path 133 is provided with a rack gear 54 which isengaged with the pinion gear 53 of the stapler. The guide roller 62 ofthe first moving plate 50 is fitted into the groove of the horizontalmoving guide 52. The first moving plate 50 is slid along the groove ofthe horizontal moving guide 52. The idle roller 60 of the stapler isfitted into the stapler moving path 133, and the pinion gear 53 fixed tothe idle roller 60 is engaged with the rack gear 53 of the staplermoving path 133.

Preferably, the idle roller 60 has a diameter adjoining the width of thestapler moving path 133 so that the rack gear 54 is not detached fromthe pinion gear 53 in the process of movement.

Once the stapler 124, the first moving plate 50, the second moving plate51, and the stapler frame 131 are provided as above, the pinion gear 53and the second moving plate 51 move along the stapler moving path 133having the rack gear 54 while the first moving plate 50 moves along thehorizontal moving guide 52 when the pinion gear 53 is rotated by a motor(not shown).

At the recess 133 a of the stapler moving path 133, the first movingplate 50 moves in a horizontal direction while the second moving platemoves in horizontal and vertical directions because it is fixed to thefirst moving plate to move vertically with respect to the first movingplate.

In other words, the second moving plate that fixes the stapler at thecenter is retracted in an opposite direction of the papers so that thestapler continues to move in a horizontal direction even if the paperconveyer 43 moves to the stapler 124.

The moving operation of the stapler according to the first embodiment ofthe present invention will be described in more detail with reference toFIG. 7.

If the stapler 124 is positioned at “A,” the stapler 124 is arranged ina tilt direction by means of action of the horizontal moving guide 52 aand the tilt portion 133 b of the stapler moving path.

Since the stapler is arranged in a tilt direction at the end of thestapler frame 131 as above, it is possible to provide a structure thatstaples the papers in a tilt direction with respect to the papers ormanually staples the papers by easily bring the papers from the outside.

Once the pinion gear 53 is rotated by the motor, the stapler moves from“A” to “B.” The first moving plate 50 and the second moving plate 51 areparallel with the horizontal moving guide 52 at the position “B” in astate where the first moving plate 50 overlaps the second moving plate51. Therefore, the stapler 124 is maintained in parallel with thepapers.

At the center, i.e., “C”, where the paper conveyer 43 is positioned, thestapler 124 is retracted along with the second moving plate 51 so as notto allow the stapler 124 to be caught in the paper conveyer. At theposition “D”, the stapler is positioned in the same manner as theposition “B”.

In the present invention, the horizontal moving guide 52 and the staplermoving path 133 are separately provided in the stapler frame 131.However, they may be provided in the stapler frame 131 to form a singlebody.

Furthermore, unlike the present invention, the paper conveyer 43 may beprovided in such a manner that it moves at a position higher than thestapler 124 or does not move to the stapler moving guide device.However, this structure of the paper conveyer could lead to structuralproblems that the volume of the device increases and it takes time tomove the paper conveyer. Accordingly, this structure will not be dealtwith in the present invention.

SECOND EMBODIMENT

A stapler moving guide device according to the second embodiment of thepresent invention will be described with reference to FIG. 8 to FIG. 12.

The stapler moving guide device according to the second embodiment ofthe present invention, as shown in FIG. 8, includes a lower frame 202horizontally provided in a medium unit of a main body of a copier, arack 212 longitudinally arranged on the lower frame 202, first andsecond moving plates 251 and 252 movably provided on the lower frame 202in a longitudinal direction and spaced apart from each other at apredetermined interval, a stapler moving motor 203 having a pinion (notshown) engaged with the rack to provide the first and second movingplates 251 and 252 with reciprocation, an arc shaped gear 261 fixed ontothe second moving plate 252, a rotary plate 262 rotatably provided onthe second moving plate 252, a second stapler rotational motor 204 fixedonto the rotary plate 262 and provided with a pinion (not shown) engagedwith the gear 261 to provide the rotary plate 262 with a rotationalforce, a stapler 270 fixed onto the rotary plate 262, a first side frame265 fixed onto one side of the lower frame 202, having a slit 265 a of apredetermined length into which papers 200 can externally be insertedand a predetermined inner space for receiving the stapler 270, and asecond side frame 266 fixed onto the other side of the lower frame 202to oppose the first side frame 265.

As shown in FIG. 11, a paper sensor 272 is fixed onto a head 271 of thestapler 270 and senses whether the papers are inserted into the slit 265a of the first side frame 265. The head 271 is detachably fixed onto astaple cartridge 273.

The respective elements of the aforementioned stapler moving guidedevice will now be described in more detail.

As shown in FIG. 12, once the stapler moving motor 203 and the staplerrotational motor 204 are driven, the stapler 270 moves and rotates tostaple the papers 200.

In other words, the stapler 270 is arranged at “C” of FIG. 12 in astandby state. If the stapler 270 is set to staple both sides at thecenter of the papers 200 as the papers 200 are aligned, it moves to “A”of FIG. 12 by means of the driving operation of the stapler moving motor203, thereby stapling the papers. Afterwards, the stapler 270 moves to“A′” to repeatedly perform its stapling function.

Further, if the stapler 270 is set to staple corners of the papers 200,it moves to the end of the papers 200 by means of the stapling movingmotor 203. Then, the stapler 270 is rotated by the stapler rotationalmotor 204 at a predetermined angle (typically, 45°) so as to staple thepapers at the position “B” or “B′” of FIG. 12.

Meanwhile, at a standby state that the papers 200 are not fed to themedium unit of the main body of the copier, the stapler 270 ispositioned at the position “C” of FIG. 12. In this case, if papers 200′are inserted into the slit 265 a of the first side frame 265 by a user,the paper sensor 273 of the stapler 270 senses the insertion of thecapers 200′ and the stapler 270 automatically operates to perform itsstapling function.

As described above, the stapler 270 is provided in such a manner that itrespectively staples the papers 200 arranged in the medium unit of thecopier and the papers 200′ externally fed to the medium unit by theuser.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the powertransmission of the stapler moving moor 203 is made by the rack 212 andthe pinion while the power transmission of the stapler rotational motor204 is made by the arc gear 261 and the pinion. However, it should beunderstood that conventional power transmission means such as belts,pulleys, and chain sprockets may be used instead of the rack, thepinion, and the arc gear. In addition, if the first side frame 265 isdetachably provided, it may be replaced with another side frame having aslot with a different depth so that various stapling positions may beobtained.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As aforementioned, the stapler moving guide device according to thepresent invention has the following advantages.

The stapler moving in parallel along the end of the papers is providedin such a manner that it is retracted from the center of the papers tothe opposite direction of the papers by a predetermined distance. Also,when the stapler is positioned at the end of the papers, it is tiltedwith respect to the end of the papers. Therefore, the paper conveyer canfreely move regardless of the position of the stapler and vice versa.

Further, since the stapler is tilted at the side of the stapler movingguide device, it is possible to perform tilt stapling at the end of thepapers and facilitate insertion of the papers.

While the present invention has been described and illustrated hereinwith reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparentto those skilled in the art that various modifications and variationscan be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers themodifications and variations of this invention that come within thescope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

1. A stapler moving guide device comprising: a stapler frame providedwith a stapler moving path and a horizontal moving guide, the staplermoving path including a recess retracted at the center in an oppositedirection of papers and a tilt portion tilting at the end, and thehorizontal moving guide being arranged in parallel with the end of thepapers, having a tilt portion at one end to be tilted in the samedirection as that of the tilt portion of the stapler moving path; afirst moving plate reciprocating along the horizontal moving guide; asecond moving plate reciprocating on the first moving plate in adirection perpendicular to the horizontal moving guide and moving alongwith the first moving plate in a horizontal direction; and a staplerfixed onto the second moving plate, wherein an idle roller fixed to thestapler is fitted into the stapler moving path and the first and secondmoving plates move along with the stapler when the idle roller movesalong the stapler moving path.
 2. The stapler moving guide deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the idle roller is provided with a piniongear fixed thereto and the stapler moving path is provided with a rackgear which is engaged with the pinion gear.
 3. The stapler moving guidedevice according to claim 2, wherein the pinion gear fixed to the idleroller is driven by a rotational means.
 4. The stapler moving guidedevice according to claim 1, wherein the tilt portion of the staplermoving path is parallel with the tilt portion of the horizontal movingguide.
 5. The stapler moving guide device according to claim 1, whereinthe first moving plate includes a guide roller fitted into thehorizontal moving guide and moving along the horizontal moving guide. 6.The stapler moving guide device according to claim 1, wherein the firstmoving plate includes vertical moving guides fixed to slide the secondmoving plate.